Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-12-02
THE DRUMMER BOY.
IT Am But n Captain; You Are
Hero"


Custozza, July "a, 1913, about sixty
soldiers belonging to one of the Italian
Infantry regiments having been sent
10 occupy an isolated house on n height,
were unexpectedly attacked by two
companies of Austrians. who, firing on
them from different points, barely gave
them time to take refuge in the house
and hastily barricnde the doors, leaving
several dead aud wounded in the fields.
After barricading the doors the Italian
soldiers hastily ran to the windows on
the first floor, and began to pour n
steady fire into the assalants, who
were gr dually advancing in a semi
circle and replying vigorously.
The sixty Italians were commanded
by two subaltcrns and n Captain, tall
old fellow, lean and severe, with white
hair and mustachcs; with them there
was Sardinian drummer boy, boy
not much more than fourteen years
old, and who scarcely appeared to be
twelve; he was small, with an olive
brown face, and two sparkling little
deep black eyes. The Captain was di-
recting the defense from window on
the first floor, while the semi-circle of
the enemy kept closing up.
All at once, the Captain, who until
then had been impossible, was seen to
show signs of uneasiness and to stride
out of the room followed by sergeant.
About three minutes afterward the
sergeant came running back and called
the drummer boy, beckoning him to
follow. The boy ran after him up
wooden staircase and went with him
into an empty garret, where he saw the
Captain, who was writing with pencil
on sheet of paper, leaning against
the window, with n well-rope on the
floor at his feet.
The Captain fold d tho paper, and,
looking with his cold, grayish eyes, be-
fore which all the soldiers trcmbled,
into the eyes of the boy, said abruptly:
drummer boy!" The drummer boy
solutcd The Captain said: You We
got grit " The boys eyes lighted up.
Yes Captain" " he answered.
'Look down there" said the Cap
tain, pushing him to the window, .in
the plain, near the houses of Villa
franca, where there is glittering of
bayonets. Those are our friends stand
ing idle. Take this note, catch hold of
the rope, slide down from the window,
run down the hill, go through the
fields, reach our friends and give the
note TO the first officer you see. Chuck
away your belt and knapsnck."
The boy took off his belt and KNAPP
sack and put the note into his breast
pocket; the sergeant threw out the rope
and graspcd one end of it with both
hands; the Captain helped the boy pass
backward through the little window.
"Tako care" he said to him; 'the
safety of the detachment depends on
your courage and on your legs"
Trust me, Captain replied the
drummer boy, swinging himself out.
"Stoop rs you 90 down. said the
Captain again, helping the sergeant to
hold the rope.
"Nevcr fear"
God help YOU"
In n few moments the boy was on the
ground; the sergeant drew up the rope
and disappeared; the Captain sprang to
the window and saw the boy flying
down the hill.
He was already hoping that he had
succeeded in escaping unobserved when
five or six little clouds of dust which
rose from the ground both before and
behind the boy warned him that he had
been seen by the Austrians, who were
firing Mt him from the top of the hill.
Those little clouds were earth thrown
up by the bullets. But the boy con-
tinued to run at breakneck pace. All
al once he fell.
"Killed!' roared the Captain, biting
his fist. But he had scarcely said the
word when he saw the boy get up.
"Ah, only fall' he said to himself,
ard breathed again. In fact the 10y
began to run again rs fast rs he could,
but he limped. "A sprained ankle"
thought the Captain.
The boy ran swiftly for awhile, then
limped and slackened his pace, and
then broke into II run again, but he
seemed to become more and more fa-
tigued, and every little while stumbled
and paused for a moment
"Perhups he has been hit by glanc-
ing bullet" thought the Captain, and
he shudderingly watched all his move
ments aud encouraged him and spoke
10 him, as if the boy could hear him;
he meHsured necessarily, with keen
eyes the distance intcrposing between
the running boy and the glittering of
arms which he saw down there in the
plain in the midst of the wheat fields,
gided by the sun. And meanwhile he
heard the whisting and the noise of
the bullets in the rooms below, the inn
perious and angry cries of the officers
and sergeants, the groans of the wound
ed, and the crashing of furniture and
plaster up! cOurage!' he cried, fol-
lowing with his gaze the distant boy.
Forward! rum, He has stopped,
curse himl All! he is running again. !"
An oLiccr came, out of breath, to
say that the enemy, without ceasing
their fire, we're waving white flag as
summons to surrender.
Don't answer!' he cried, without
removing his eyes from the boy, who
was already in the plain, but who was
no longer running, and who appeared
To be dragging himself along with diff
ficplty.
"But get ON! rum" said the Captain.
grinding his teeth and clenching his
fists; "kill yourself, die, scoundrel, but
go onr' Then Il horrible oath burst
from him. "Ahl the infamous coward,
he has sat downw In fact the boy,